COLDPLAY MANILA EXPERIENCE

I know this is a super late blog post but this must be posted! Haha!


"Oh, I think I landed in a world I haven't seen"

And yessss! I thought dreams would only be just dreams until I experience COLDPLAY MANILA! I  know I was just ranting it on my previous blog posts but hey! I was there!

And how on earth I got there?

It was way back a year ago when I heard the band would hold a concert here in the Philippines for the first time ever. Not really a fan way back then, not until last year, I guess. Kasalanan ito ni Maine! Yeah, I know, bash me all you want but her seeing fangirling on a Coldplay concert gave me the dreams to be on a real Coldplay concert. Not because I want to see her, but because it was sooooo fascinating to see Xylobands (a kind of wristband used on their concert, activated whenever they sing different songs, colors depend on the beat) light like a sea of stars, how they affect fans on their live concert, the colors, the fireworks, their songs, and EVERYTHING about it!

Then, I promised myself, I want to be on a coldplay concert! kahit Gen ad lang (the farthest section) 'cos breathing the same air with Chris Martin and hearing them, seeing them sang live is way better for me to experience.

After so many hearsay, the band did not make it to Manila last year. I thought they would be here by November of 2016, but anything was only tsismis. To compensate about it, a friend of mine asked me out to go with him on The Calling concert, and there we went. Almost one week after, and hindi pa ko nakakamove on sa The Calling eh nag announce bigla ng Coldplay concert FOR REAAAAL!!

Coldplay Manila poster. Yep! This time it's REEEEAAAAAL!

Gravitational pull! The tickets were so expensive! But hey, kaya ko ang Bronze, but I asked my friend to go with me and she agreed so I planned to get two Gen Admission tickets. There was Globe pre-selling (reserving tickets thru text) but I forgot. Then Citi pre-selling, but I have no credit card so I'll pass to that. Eto na, public selling na. That was a day after Fiesta sa Angono. I saw on Facebook how people lined up on SM tickets and how online system got shitty. I planned to go to SM during lunch break but work get in my way. After work, dali-dali akong sumugod ng SM ngunit...

Tears streamed down my face sa lungkot. The tickets were sold out. Called my friend to tell the news and we went to grab coffee na lang instead. But ang lungkot ko pa din. I messaged an old acquaintance also who luckily got tickets to the concert, telling I was not able to see him next year as we planned, on the concert itself. The next day, he added me on a closed group, hoping we could get tickets from resellers, with reasonable prices.

The next month, my friend and I attended an event called Globe Coldplay Sessions. It was also our first time to UP Town Center and we got so excited. It was also a chance to score free tickets to the concert. To make long story short, we did not any. Sadnu.

Cute souvenir for the unlucky ones

Months had passed and still did not have those tickets. Still looking for resellers/scalpers hoping they were legit seller of tickets and would give those for reasonable price. Muntik na ko sa isa, but hey! I got some delightful news! SM tickets opened another public selling date.

It was dated on a wednesday and as usual, I won't make it. So I have to ask my sister to get me one for myself (since malapit sya sa Megamall). a day before she warned me na baka hindi sya makabili kasi may meeting sya sa school, but she promised to try pag nalate yung mga kameeting nya. I also had my backup plan-to purchase online-if she would not make it. Kabado pa naman ako cos I am expecting the worse case scenario, just like the first public selling.

March 8 came, and I was messaging my sister for some news. She was there before the mall doors were opened. Wala masyadong pila and... she got me one Gen Ad ticket to Coldplay Manila! (Super grateful to my sister!) Para akong baliw sa work, nagtatatalon at nagsisisigaw sa saya! I have told anyone possible that I am going. That day, Kuya Eyron asked me to join a group chat, since I am going alone. That was when I met Team GA. Grabe, nahiya ako ng very light cos they've been waiting for this their whole life! Most of them were hardcore fans. That was when I researched about the band, listen to every album, and watched their recorded live concerts in other countries. I filled up my phone with their songs, googled lyrics, then nakasali pa ako sa pacontest ng Globe sa twitter. Though I did not win, I prefer it as a challenge to get to know the band more. Three weeks, and hindi lang Yellow, Fix You, Viva la Vida, Magic, Everglow and Something just like this ang alam kong kanta nila. Tons!

We've been counting days, and the day itself has come! Hindi pa ata nag-aalarm yung alarm clock ko nagising na ko. Excited and nervous. Wore a simple outfit (Crop tee, leggings, white sneakers ad little black bag) cos I plan to change outfit hours before the con. Bought a Tee Culture shirt with Yelow lyrics on it a week before. Ganung preparation lang, then recap songs on byahe. Thank God no traffic ahead. Nakarating ako ng MOA just in time to fetch one of my friends from the group chat.

We were so giddy when we approached the MOA Concert Grounds! We were in awe on how we could see the stage posts, despite of tall barricades. We finally met other people from the group chat, and It was so good to hear different stories: from how they got their concert tickets, drove and fly miles just to get to Manila to see the band in flesh, kahit Gen.Ad lang kami, what particular songs do they wanna hear. For me hindi struggle yung pila kasi hindi masyadong mainit yung side namin and makulimlim that morning. And, I was able to purchase an official merch (Coldplay cap) kahit akala namin ubos na.

OOTD ehh?

We were like two hours before the gates open. Kagulo na, Nagpapila sila sa kalsada and nawala yung arrangement nung pila. The biglang nagsoundcheck! Sigawan kaming lahat. They were playing Ink on stereos on repeat and I was wishing they would play it live. Hayy.

Gates opened at 5pm. Yung rope lang yung pumiigil saming pumasok sa gates. The FOH were counting people by 10s so that they could control whose lining up to the gates (para nga naman hindi masyadong congested). Malapit na sana akong lumusot pero na cut ako sa tali. Sabi ko okay lang. Makapasok ako, kalma lang. The FOH was joking me around if I was really okay, and I said yes with a wide smile. In return, he drew a rainbow tattoo on my cheeks. Ang cute lang. Para akong nasa festival that time!

rainbows on my face and butterflies on my stomach

I was able to get thru the gates without any hassle (except sa pulbos ko na tinapon nung guard, saka yung tart na baon ko. hahaha I forgot na nasa bag ko pala yun. Everything's still alright). Tickets checked, bags cleared, and got my very own xylobands and Love pin! This is it! Sasobrang excitement, nagtatatalon kami sa gitna ng grounds.

the sight of stage at sunset and Xyloband on my wrist was overwhelming

Team GA pre concert selfie!

Another two waiting hours and few pictures, we waited for the front act. Dun na kami pumwesto sa isang spot sa bandang likod pa ng GA kasi kung malapit kami sa barricades, hindi kami makakaparty party. Plus we got the best view of xylobands lighting up in the air. Since we expected to watch on big screen, we just found the perfect spot in able to us to enjoy the con itself.

And the show started on a 30-minute front act. We were locating other members of Team GA by shouting their names so that they would know where we were. Minutes after 9pm, we were on top of our lungs screaming to the tune of A Head Full of Dreams: their opening act.

Fireworks!

Yellow!

More pyros and blurry pictures. I was jumping the whole time ehh

"Nobody said it was easy"

Xylobands lit like stars

hello Chris Martin my love ❤

Well, they took the last bows on the B-Stage

I am so ambivalent for two hours. But it was the best feeling I had. I was jumping high on one song and wailing on the other, then back to jumping, singing along, and crying. It was way overwhelming to realize that dreams do come true. I was at the very back, but it really doesn't matter as long as you were there. It was my dream concert. It was my first time going alone without any old friends but I made few more then I expected. I never cried to any songs but Fix You just broke me in tears. I tried my best in getting the whole concert recorded but my phone's internal storage was not really enough, so I recorded half and enjoyed the other half. Sobrang astig cos CM made an impromptu song exclusive for Coldplay Manila. I was able to sing along with almost all of the songs on the set list. (Pats myself for the very good job) I was enduring body pain after but the happiness and joy I felt would never be exchanged for everything. Di kami naorient na Zumba mode on pala din kami during concert hahaha. Walang tapon. It was the best concert so far. I got home late because there was traffic at 2am but I still managed to get up for work the next day.

Team GA!

It was days after the con and the PCD was still real. it was hard to move on, harder that moving on from a heartbreak. I was watching videos captured from my phone and it was still the best. Not the best for a vlog but still, I promised to make one.

(Cannot post my vlog due copyright issues ugh! Will need to redo it all over again)
EDIT: Here it is!

Mas mahaba pa pala yung kwento ko before the con than after hahaha! Basta sobrang saya, walang katumbas. They told they would come back. I now promise myself to watch them again live and sana VIP na ako nun hahaha. (Hellooooo savings, please be real for Coldplay part two). Pero kahit magpaulit-ulit pa sila I'll watch them. Parang UDD lang. Hindi magsasawa. So they're my favorite band ever!

Still thanking God because I was whispering Him to bring me to Coldplay Manila, but I never expected he'll say yes to me. To my sister, who purchased my ticket. She was my only hope but she never fail me! To Kuya Eyron, for tagging me to every reseller with reasonable ticket price, and always telling me to never lose hope in scoring those tickets. To my ever supportive family, friends and colleagues in always wishing me luck and enjoyment to the con, and to TEAM GA, cos without you guys, I may be going alone and awkward and innocent. It was the best having you singing along, partying, crying, shouting our lungs out and sharing the same PCD sentiments until now. To strangers, then friends, and best concert buddies ever!

CM, GB, JB, WC, if ever you'll be seeing this, THANK YOU! I had the best night ever in my life, with no regrets. I would never get over with this! I believe we were the best crowd to your concert ever, and that is enough reason why you should go back even not sooner but you must.

From a forever Coldplayer here *hearts in rainbow colors*